Man Charged with Murder After Allegedly Setting Female Passenger on Fire in NYC Subway

NEW YORK—During a Brooklyn court arraignment, a prosecutor disclosed that Sebastian Zapeta, the man charged with setting a woman on fire inside a New York City subway train, used a shirt to fan the flames.

The 33-year-old Zapeta, identified by federal immigration officials as a Guatemalan national who entered the United States unlawfully, did not enter a plea or speak during the proceedings.

Appearing in a white jumpsuit layered over a faded black hoodie, Zapeta will remain in custody and is scheduled to return to court on Friday. His attorney did not request bail.

Charged with two counts of murder—one for intentionally causing the woman’s death and another for killing her during the commission of arson—Zapeta is also facing one count of arson. The most serious charge could result in a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez condemned the act as a “gruesome and senseless act of violence,” pledging that it would be met with the harshest repercussions.

The seemingly random incident took place on Sunday morning aboard an F train halted at the Coney Island station, and the victim’s identity has yet to be confirmed.

Law enforcement authorities report that Zapeta approached the woman, who may have been asleep, and ignited her clothes with a lighter.

He then used a shirt to fan the flames, engulfing her in fire, according to Assistant District Attorney Ari Rottenberg.

Following the act, Zapeta reportedly sat on a bench at the subway platform, simply observing, Rottenberg noted in court.

Zapeta allegedly told detectives he was unaware of what had occurred but acknowledged his identity when shown images of the incident.

Zapata’s attorney, Andrew Friedman, refrained from commenting to the media post-arraignment.

Social media footage seemingly depicts bystanders on the platform, including at least one police officer, passing by while the woman was engulfed in flames within the train.

NYPD Transit Chief Joseph Gulotta shared that several officers responded quickly to the fire. One officer remained at the crime scene to secure it, while others went to retrieve fire extinguishers and transit workers.

“Officers who were patrolling the upper level of that station noticed the smell of smoke and went to investigate. They discovered a person inside the train car completely enveloped in flames,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch recounted.

While they eventually extinguished the fire, it was “unfortunately too late,” as the woman was pronounced dead at the scene, Tisch said.

Zapata was apprehended Sunday afternoon, still aboard a train on the same line, after teenagers recognized him from the police’s circulated images.

The police provided a Brooklyn address for Zapeta, which corresponds with a shelter offering housing and substance abuse assistance. The shelter has not yet commented on the situation.

Federal immigration officials indicated that Zapeta was deported in 2018 but reentered the United States unlawfully thereafter.

Despite the tragic incident, crime rates in the transit system are reported to have declined compared to the previous year.

Data from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority shows a 6 percent drop in major felonies from January to November compared to the same timeframe last year; however, the murder rate has risen, with nine killings this year through November against five in the previous year during the same period.

Policing the subway system is challenging due to its extensive network of trains which operate across 472 stations, each housing multiple entry points and, in many instances, multiple floors and platforms.